Maynard Fred Reece (April 26, 1920 – July 11, 2020) was an American artist based in Iowa whose work focused on wildlife, particularly ducks.
He won the Federal Duck Stamp competition a record five times in his life: 1948, 1951, 1959, 1969 and 1971.
[1] The nature of his father's work meant that the family moved often, and this gave Reece exposure to many different aspects of American rural beauty.
[5] In 1940, Reece moved to the capital city of Des Moines for work where he found a job in the museum of the Iowa Department of History and Archives.
"Much has been written about the accuracy of Reece's artwork; every detail correct - feathers, position, wind, weather and weeds...These things are combined with a feel for color, a sensitivity to the moods of nature and the ability to dip back into the mental images of decades of outdoor observation to create a work of art which is much more than the sum of its parts.